Open Wound
by IplayedInTraffic
Summary: Stiles and Derek have a conversation while waiting for Scott to regain consciousness from his tattoo session. Tag to Episode 3x01. Missing Scene. One Shot


**Author's Note**: I thought the season three premiere was great! I've decided to do a 'tag' or 'missing scene' for each episode that airs this season. I'm just really hoping that the new season/story line/characters spur some originality within the fandom so we can find some variety in the stories to read. Anyway, here's my first season three story! Enjoy, and if you feel kind enough to leave a review, I'll give a reply. Your feedback is always encouraged and appreciated.

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Stiles strengthened his grip on Scott's shoulders as his best friend slumped forward under his grasp. He hunched lower and wrapped an arm securely around Scott's chest in order to keep him from toppling off of the chair.

"He's unconscious," Stiles huffed out.

"From the pain," Derek answered simply as he began putting away the tattooing supplies.

"No shit," Stiles returned heatedly. "Now could you help me out here? He's gonna break his neck falling off this chair."

"He'd heal," Derek replied nonchalantly. He sighed as Stiles glared at him. "Fine."

Together they lifted Scott and Derek guided them until he motioned to lay Scott down against a wall on the floor. Derek let go of Scott's legs as Stiles positioned his best friend so he would be as comfortable as possible.

"The floor, seriously?" Stiles placed a hand on Scott's chest, reassuring himself that he was alright. "You don't have a couch in this piece of shit place?"

Derek glared in response and moved to check on Isaac. The young wolf seemed to be healing nicely; the wolfsbane remedy was combating the damage done by the Alpha at a steady pace. He glanced back over to where Scott sat.

"Will you relax?" He said, motioning to Stiles' hand on Scott's chest. "He's fine."

"Well sue me for wanting to make sure for myself after watching you torture him for ten minutes." Stiles stood though, relinquishing his hand from Scott's chest.

"He wanted the tattoo," Derek returned. "That was the only way to do it without it healing." He leaned against the table as Stiles slid to sit beside Scott on the floor. "And you heard him. You know what this tattoo means to him."

Stiles scoffed. "Yeah, that it's been four months and his head is still shoved up Allison's ass."

Derek smirked slightly, "Someone sounds a little jealous."

"Shut up," Stiles threw back. He glanced sideways at Scott's unconscious formed and sighed heavily before getting to his feet and walking to the table. He plopped into the chair that Scott had previously occupied for the blowtorch session.

Derek moved to check on Isaac once more before taking the chair across from Stiles.

"So what then?" Derek asked. "What's your deal?"

"My deal?" Stiles shook his head and fidgeted with the wood on the edge of the table.

"Why do you care so much?" Derek asked seriously. "It's a tattoo."

"About Allison," Stiles added. "Everything's about Allison."

"And there it is," Derek replied with a smirk.

"Again, shut up," Stiles glared at the older man. "It's not like that. At all."

Derek chuckled lightly but didn't speak, waiting for Stiles to continue.

"It's just," Stiles looked over at Scott and shook his head. "It used to be me and him against the world before Allison came around. And I'm not trying to sound bitter or 'jealous' as you put it. But I do everything for that dude and," Stiles trailed off staring at the floor now.

"So stop," Derek shrugged.

Stiles' head jerked up and met Derek's steady gaze, "No. What?"

"You think it isn't obvious to everyone around that you go above and beyond for Scott while he probably wouldn't even give you the time of day if you were stuck in a swimming pool with a man-eating lizard trying to eat you?" Derek's mind wandered back to his first encounter with the Kanima and all Stiles had done for him. They weren't even friends; so the lengths Stiles would go to for Scott, Derek couldn't imagine.

"While being threatened by two-hundred pounds of douche, I might add," Stiles smirked.

Derek shook his head and surprised himself when he realized that the action was done fondly. "My point is, if he cares more about Allison than he does about everything else; just stop being his knight in shining armor."

"No," Stiles replied immediately.

"Why?" Derek almost growled. "He's selfish. He has nothing to offer you in return for what you do for him."

"Friendship isn't about rewards Derek. Yeah, he's selfish sometimes, and he cares about Allison more than anything else," Stiles cringed as if admitting that was painful. "But that's exactly why I need to be here. I need to watch out for him while he worries about Allison." Stiles glanced at Scott again and sighed. "Besides, I'm the selfish one."

"I don't understand," Derek said. "How are you even remotely selfish?"

"Because I'd rather die than live in a world that he's not in," Stiles admitted. "Same goes for my dad." Stiles glanced at Derek to find him watching him intently. "I gave Lydia this rant a few months ago about 'death not happening to you', about it happening to the people around you that are left to pick up the pieces." Stiles lowered his gaze and stared at the table. "I don't ever want to be the one left picking up the pieces. I couldn't handle it."

"So you'd rather die," Derek stated.

"Yes."

Derek stared at the younger teen sitting in front of him intently. He wasn't as spastic and strange as he remembered him from just a few short months ago. Something about him was different.

"Look, I'm sorry for unloading on you like that," Stiles stood up and stretched. He glanced at Scott and then at his phone. "There's just not a lot to talk about when you're waiting for your werewolf buddy to wake up from a really depressing tattoo party."

"It's actually nice to have the company," Derek replied, still studying Stiles.

He got up and found an old towel and a bottle of water. He wet the towel and threw it to Stiles who barely caught it and looked at it questioningly. Derek motioned to his own forehead. "You're bleeding," he pointed out. "Bet Scott didn't notice that either." Stiles gave him a sad smile and thanked him as he wiped away the small amount of dried blood.

"So, any crazy, scary, supernatural stuff going on in town relating to suicidal animals that we should know about?" Stiles questioned. He threw the towel back on the table.

Derek glanced at Scott and then back to Stiles. "Wait till Scott wakes up to ask those kinds of questions."

"I'll take that as a yes," Stiles said. "Hooray, it was getting way too normal around here anyway." He glanced at Derek and saw that the man was staring at him again. Stiles gave him a questioning look. "Is there more blood on my face? Stop staring at me dude."

"You grew your hair out," Derek concluded. "I like it."

Stiles looked at him as if he had two heads. He was about to reply, but Scott chose that moment to return to the land of the living. Stiles was by his side immediately with a comforting hand on his shoulder as Scott admired his new tattoo.

Derek watched the pair of friends with fond frustration. His eyes lingered on Stiles as he realized that the one with the 'open wound' was hiding it from everyone that loved him.


End file.
